


Maelstrom

by notjustmom



Series: Words, Words, Words [255]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Episode: s04e01 The Six Thatchers, F/M, M/M, Post TST, The Six Thatchers Spoilers, no happy ending YET
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-15 01:06:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9212678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: maelstrom: noun: mālˌsträm,ˈmālˌstrəm: a situation or state of confused movement or violent turmoil.late 17th century: from early modern Dutch (denoting a mythical whirlpool supposed to exist in the Arctic Ocean, west of Norway), from maalen ‘grind, whirl’ + stroom ‘stream.’





	1. Chapter 1

The days after the events, event at the aquarium seemed almost too calm. Sherlock had expected a maelstrom of people, sentiment and too many cups of tea. He had become accustomed to the noise of the comings and goings of his family; of John picking through his keyboard, Mary arguing with him about something, she was always trying to shush him a bit, and Rosie. She had just started babbling at him on those nights when John and Mary needed a night off.

But, it was entirely too quiet. John hadn't spoken to him since the aquarium, his texts went unanswered, and he had known not to try and call him. They weren't good at talking about these kinds of things anyway. Letters. No. Not after the note Molly had handed him. In John's own ugly scrawl:

 

It would have been better if you had never come back from the dead.

 

It didn't need a signature. John was always quite clear when he was angry; and Sherlock agreed with him. If he had simply stayed dead, Mary would be alive. John would be happy, and Rosie would probably be the first of many. If only Mycroft had simply left him in Serbia, everyone he had come to love would be alive and content without him.

"Do you honestly believe that to be the case?" Ella asked him quietly.

"Of course. John was better off without me."

"Are you sure?" She prodded.

Sherlock rose from the chair and nodded to himself. "I can see why John stopped seeing you. No help at all. Good day."

"See you next week."

"Hmm."


	2. John

"Can you tell me why you're here?"

"Hmmm. I finished my shift today, and was going to hail a taxi to go home and see my daughter, haven't seen her in eight hours, she was with Molly, I think I need to hire a nanny, it's not fair on Molly, she has a job..."

"John?"

"Yeah, focus, sorry, haven't been good at that lately."

"Understandable, with your wife's tragic death -"

"I couldn't focus before. I was, uhm, thinking of someone else. I don't even know her name. Just 'E.' Don't even know if that's her first initial, or last, or...just a number, "E," and xx. I think those are meant to be kisses. I see her on the bus in the morning, when I take the bus. She flirted with me, actually smiled at me, in a way my wife used to when we were first dating. She hadn't smiled at me like that in a long time, since Rosie was born, even before that, I think it was at our wedding, yeah, our wedding was the last time she smiled like that. God, she sparkled that day, just gorgeous, best day of my life."

"Why?"

"Why, what?"

"What made it the best day of your life?"

"Uhm. The woman I loved said she would be with me, love me until death do us part, and my best friend, my best friend gave his blessing, threw us the most beautiful wedding..."

"But. I'm hearing a but?"

"He left early. He left my wedding, our wedding early, just vanished."

"When did you notice?"

"Hmm?"

"When -"

"No, I heard you, I was trying to remember. I think it was Molly, yeah, Molly said something. I think I blew her off, told her he probably went outside for a smoke or something..."

"But he had left."

"Yeah."

"When did you see him again?"

"A month. We had a ten-day 'sex holiday' as he called it."

"Who called it that?"

"My, uhm, my, I don't know what to call him now, my former best friend?"

"Is that what he is now to you?"

"He promised."

"What did he promise, John?"

"That night, he made a vow to keep us safe, to be there, always."

"Didn't he? Wasn't he there when you needed him? Always?"

John nodded. "Until."

"Until she took a bullet meant for him."

"Would you have taken that bullet for him?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

"Because he's my - fuck."

"Maybe at some point she made that same vow to him, just never spoke it in front of a room full of people, but she made it, nevertheless? Time is up, John. Next week, same time good for you?"


	3. Chance Meeting

"John?"

"Sherlock? Why are you in this neighborhood, got a case?"

"A case? No. I'm -"

"Were you following me?"

"No, John. I. You told me to stay away, quite clearly -"

"Then? What - "

"Ella. I've been seeing Ella, but I don't think she can help me. Not sure anyone can, really. I'm sorry, John, I can't do this. Not here."

"Sherlock, wait, please? I'm the one who should apologise. You loved her too. You loved us -"

"Love. John. I will always love her, and Rosie and you, John. If I could bring her back for you, you must know I would. I have to go, I've already missed two minutes. Two very expensive minutes, not that I say much, not sure why I go, it's mostly so Mrs. Hudson will stop trying to dust me. She does it if I sit in my chair too long, so once a week, I shower, get dressed, put a bit of hair product in, get a cab, and let Ella poke around -"

"Would you like to come to the flat and see Rosie?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"I, uhm, appreciate the offer, John, not sure I'm ready yet. I need to go back to Baker Street. It was, hmm, good to see you. Maybe you can bring her over next week sometime?"

"Yeah, sure, sorry, of course. I'll text you?"

"Sounds good." Sherlock raised his arm and a cab appeared. John opened the door for him, and watched as his friend fell into the seat. He closed the door and sighed as the cab took off.

"Damn."


End file.
